Cirrus VTC overtakes tug on aerotow and rolls inverted

A Cirrus VTC was substantially damaged on aerotow at Ottengruener Heide (Germany) and the pilot was seriously injured. He had about 250 h total and 16:25 h on type but had not flown this glider in nearly four years, with all 25 flights in the prior 24 months on two-seaters. A first launch was aborted after he accidentally activated the release. The second aerotow from RWY 10, on the CG hook, rolled normally. After liftoff the glider veered right, returned to centreline, made main-wheel contact with the asphalt, climbed above the tug, rolled right, and struck the grass strip inverted 25 m south of the runway.

1. Aerotow RWY 10 18:11 LT, CG hook: At 18:11 LT on 4 June 2015 the pilot began an aerotow from RWY 10 of Sonderlandeplatz Ottengrüner Heide (650×13 m asphalt, elevation 1,880 ft) in a Cirrus VTC, towed from the centre-of-gravity hook. Wind was from 045° at about 5 kt.
2. ~4-yr gap on type, doublers-only: The pilot held a glider licence with about 250 hours total experience and 16:25 hours on the Cirrus VTC over 11 launches. He had last flown this glider on 21 June 2011 — nearly four years before the accident. All 25 of his flights in the prior 24 months had been on two-seaters; five of those were aerotow launches in the past 90 days.
3. 1st launch aborted on release slip: On the first launch attempt the pilot accidentally activated the release device and the launch was aborted.
4. Deviation right after liftoff: On the second attempt the ground roll was normal. Shortly after liftoff witnesses saw the glider veer to the right and then come back toward the centreline of the runway.
5. Wheel contact, overtakes tug: On the asphalt runway the main wheel of the glider touched the ground again. Witnesses then saw the glider rise above the tug and begin rolling to the right around its longitudinal axis while still on the rope.
6. Rolls right, inverted on grass: In inverted flight the right wingtip touched the ground first and the glider then struck the grass strip beside the asphalt nearly flat, coming to rest inverted about 25 m south of the runway, behind the half-runway marking. The cabin glazing was destroyed and the fuselage broke behind the wings; the wings sustained heavy structural damage. The rope was torn; the ring pair with about 40 m of rope lay 30 m forward of the glider. No technical defects were found. The pilot was seriously injured.